Chemo on Hold

Today Matt went to Johnson Creek for another round of Chemo except he was no allow to have it. Matt started urinating blood yesterday. The nurse called the doctor and they decided that Matt needed to see an Urologist. The Urologist from Watertown was out until Monday. They found an Urologist in Fort Atkinson that was in Matt's network for Insurance. Matt saw Dr. Christopher Manakas . He reviewed Matt's history and asked him a lot of questions. He did a quick physical on Matt. He decided since all Matt's labs from yesterday were good he was going to treat Matt for an Infection.

He sent Matt home with a prescription for a possible infection. He is to drink lots of water and watch for bleeding if it worsens or he he were to urinate blood clots to call the on call doctor right away. If blood clots were to come out he would feel lots of pain. So far since Matt got home his urine has gotten more normal and less blood.

Doctor Holen moved up Matt's CT Scan and Tumor Marker test for Monday, Jan 3. Then we will meet with Doctor Holen on Wednesday, Jan 5 to see what the results were. Then he will have chemo startingagain on Jan 5.

I am asking for prayers that it is an infection and the pills take it away. I pray that Matt's tests on Monday will show that the Chemo he has been doing its job and is shrinking the cancer tumors!! I trust in God that he will take care of Matt!

Christmas time

Matt and Casey at their home on Christmas.

Matt with the vest sweater his Grandma Jo made him.

Matt and myself (Kitty)

Matt and Casey on Dec 23 when we opened presents with his brother and sister and family.

Dinner with his family on Dec 23, 2010

Merry Christmas to all and have a Blessed Holidays! Matt is doing good. He had more energy this week because he was not on chemo over Christmas. Matt and Casey got there house all ready to have Matt's side the family over about 40 people. Everything went well.

Matt has labs tomorrow and chemo starts again Wednesday. Praying chemo goes well Wednesday. Last time Matt got sick just as he was finishing his chemo. This time no Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch.

God Bless Everyone and have a safe new year! Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers for Matt.

Chemo, Doctor Appt

Matt and Casey in their new Home!!

Matt saw Dr. Holen this Wednesday. He had a good check up. Dr. Holen said all his numbers were good. We talked about when to have his next CT-scan and tumor marker test. Matt's insurance as of the first of the year will cover more so we decided to wait until January. Matt will have his tumor marker test and CT-Scan on January 17 and Doctor appointment on January 19. Until then he will continue to do chemo every other week.

The week of Chemo takes a lot of Matt. He is tired and nauseous a lot. Matt is very strong and he continues to work through all his physical aliments. Now that Matt and Casey are in the house they are working on getting settled. There is a lot to do before Christmas and Matt and Casey are trying to get as much done as they can.

Due to the side effects of the cold Matt wears a face mask while he is outside. The cold hurts his face and finger tips. So when he goes outside he has his face mask and gloves to cover all his skin. It helps to tolerate the cold. The extra medication he is taking during chemo for the cold are also helping.

Dear God please be with Matt and help heal his body. Thank you for all your prayers.

In their Home!

Matt and Casey spent their first night in their house on Friday! Everything got moved in. On Saturday they went and did their first time grocery shopping for their home. Now it time to unpack and get settled in.

Matt has been doing a lot of snow plowing for his customers. It has been cold and snowing! Matt has been handling the cold pretty good. He finished chemo on Wednesday. So moving day the cold did not bother him as much.

He starts chemo again on Wednesday. The chemo makes him tired and nauseous. Now he can go to work and go home and relax in his new home. Hopefully he will slow down a little.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. Everyone be safe the winter season!

Moving Day!

This is what Matt's loves to do in the winter!!

Matt making his rounds plowing people's driveways

Matt's closet

Casey's Closet

Standing at the top of the stairs looking down at the front door.

Casey's office room

Master bathroom sink

Looking into the living room

The kitchen

Master bath tub. Matt and Ryan laid the tile on the floor and the tub.

Matt's cat "Griffy" welcome Matt home for a visit!!

Matt just finished his second round of chemo yesterday. The week of taking his chemo pills are hard on him. The pills make him real tired and nauseous continually every day. The last few days he is starting to feel a little better. Matt did well when he got blood last week. He went for lab work yesterday. We will find out next week how his blood count went.

Matt and Casey are very excited about moving. Tomorrow morning the inspector comes at 10:00 and they should get their occupancy permit. Right after that moving starts. They hope to spend Friday night, their first night in their new home!

Thank You for all your kind thought and continued prayers. Maybe now that Matt and Casey are in their house Matt can slow down a little bit. Knowing Matt that probably will not happen. There are nights where Matt has a hard sleeping so he writes lists of things to do. Matt wrote one night 3 pages of a to do list!!

Little tired!

Jenny, Mike, Christine, Matt and Chad got to see the house

Matt, Bill and Casey and Tristen came from Washington DC

Matt started his second round of chemo. His red blood count was 8.1 and it should be around 13. They had talk to Matt about getting blood last time and he had decided no. This time he decided to try it so maybe the chemo might not be so hard on him this time. He spent 6 hours at Watertown Hospital getting 2 pints blood.

After getting blood he heard snow is coming so he picked up his truck and is getting it ready for the snow that is coming tonight.

Matt's house is getting really close. The plumber and electrician are finishing up this week. The carpenter is putting the finishing trim around windows and doors. The dishwasher was install and the microwave will be installed today. All the bathroom sinks are in and possibly the toilets might be put in today.

Matt had a surprise visit from Bill and Leity and Tristen from Washington DC. They were so kind as to let us stay with them when we were in Washington for Matt's surgeries. It was great to see his family!!

God's blessings to everyone for this Thanksgiving. Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers.

First Week of Chemo over

Chelsey and Shaun Wegner's wedding

Matt and Casey wearing funny hats when one of their cousin's thought they should wear.

Matt & Casey standing on their new tile floor in the front entry way.

Matt & Casey's kitchen

Matt's first week of chemo is over. It starts another week of chemo on Wednesday. Matt's first week went okay. The extra drugs he got for the cold seemed to help. He plans to continue it. This round of chemo made him tired and nausea all week. As soon as he was done with chemo he had more energy. Matt goes for labs on Tuesday morning and chemo on Wednesday. Then he takes the chemo pills for six days.

Matt has been working real hard on his house. Matt and Ryan got the tile floor done in the master bath and extra bathroom and the front entry way. They did a real good job. It looks great!!! The only tile left is on the side of the bath tub. This week the plumber and electrician plan to finish up! They have all the lights, toilets, sinks and counter tops ready to go for this week. Matt and Casey had a wonderful weekend. They had a dnner lunch with Casey' s family and then they went to Uncle Jeff's for a get together on Kitty's side of the family.

On Saturday Matt & Casey went to Chelsey and Shaun's wedding. They had dinner and time for good talk and Matt was tired so they went home. During the day Casey's little blue revenue girls were in the holiday parade. Matt drove the truck with their float.

Thank you to everyone for all your continue thoughts and prayers. Hopefully his labs come back good. Matt blood count was low. They are keeping an eye on him so he hopefully will not have to have a few pints of blood transfused.

Chemo and House pictures

Garage, outside of their house

Cori staining the patio door

Jean painting the living room wall

Uncle Jeff acting cute!!

Kitty and Brian painting in the office

Uncle Moose staining windows

Tom & Mike Gates, Jenny painting the kitchen wall

Linda Hepp staining the bay window

Matt and Casey painting the Master Bedroom

Linda staining the kitchen window

Chemo has been going okay. Matt has been taking his chemo medication, Xeloda everyday for six days. His has been making him very tired and nauseous. Thursday following chemo in Johnson Creek he experience some bladder issues. Matt called the doctor and he wanted to see him right away. Matt went in and the doctor decide he might have a bladder infection. Matt is taking medication for the infection. We also found out at the Doctor appointment that Matt has a kidney stone in his left kidney. This was found on the last CT-Scan.

Matt is working through the tiredness and nauseousness. He wants to get the house built and move in and finally he can slow down some.

Here are some pictures of this weekend of painting. Many family and friends showed to help pain the living room, master bedroom, office, kitchen and master bathroom. Windows were stained and the following days they got polyurethane. Today they are working on putting up the trim, kitchen cupboards, counter tops. Then Matt and Ryan are going to lay the wood kitchen floor and they will be tiling the 2 bathrooms and the front entry way.

Thank you for all the continued prayers for Matt. Please keep Matt in your prayers for him to handle the chemotherapy and for the chemo to slow the growing of the cancer!!

Chemo again

Matt started chemo again yesterday. He is trying Xeloda again. Matt and Dr. Holen decide that the Xeloda seem like it slowed the cancer down the most from all the other chemo he has tried. He started yesterday with Calcium Chloride and Dexamethasone and magnesium and Zofran before they gave him the Xeloda. After several hours of Xeloda he got the Calcium Chloride and Magnesium sulfate. The Calcium and Magnesium will hopefully help him with handling the coldness. He is going to try this for a few times to see if it helps.

Today Matt said he is tired and he feel naueous. He was going to go home and try and get a nap.
With this type of chemo he goes his first day to Johnson Creek to get it IV way then the next 6 days he takes 6 Xeloda pills in the morning and 6 Xeloda pills in the evening. Then he has a week off and he starts all over again. He goes to Johnson Creek on December 1 for round 2 of Xeloda. I pray this will help slow the cancer down from growing.

Thank you for all your continue prayers. Please pray for Matt to handle the Xeloda and the coldness. He is looking forward to being able to snow plow this winter (hopefully!).

Better Wedding Pictures!

Casey and Matt in the unity ceremony

Matt anxiously awaiting Casey walking down the isle

Bestt Man, Nate. Matt's brother and Ashley, Maid of honor, Casey's friend

Bret, Matt's friend and Jenny, Matt's sister

Ryan, Casey's brother and Christine, Matt's sister

Eric, Matt's Cousin and Kelly, Casey's friend

Caleb & Elli, Cousin's of Casey

Beautiful Bride, Casey

Wonderful Couple, Matt & Casey

Pastor Ewerdt blessing their marriage

Jerry walking Casey down the isle

These are some pictures of Matt & Casey's wedding that friends had taken. Can see these pictures better.

Thank you to everyone who made their day so special!!

Thank you for all your prayers!

CEA Tumor Marker Results

Johnson Creek Cancer Center called with Matt's tumor marker number. The last number it had gone down to 12.2 and now it has jumped to 19.0. Matt is starting chemo on Wednesday, November 17th. Matt has been feeling aches and pains. Some of his pains he contributes to working hard on his job and working on building his house and he says some could be from the cancer. He has some abdomen pain.

Please help us pray for Matt that the chemo will slow down the growth of the cancer and that the aches and pains go away so Matt and Casey can spend lots of time together.

"Jesus, my Savior and the Shepherd of my soul, embrace me with Your love, and protect me throughout this day. I need You, for I am wounded and bruised, sick at heart, and in trouble and distress. To You I come. Forgive me all my sins in Your mercy and love, and uphold me amid these trials and tribulations. Strengthen my faith. Take every doubt out of my heart, and lead me into Your Word, where You promise to be with me always in every situation of life. Calm my nerves. Put my mind at ease. Make me hopeful and patient. O Christ, have mercy upon me. O Christ, Be with me now and forever. Amen"

Thank You for all your continued thoughts and prayers!

Test Results

Matt saw Dr. Holen yesterday. His tumor marker score was not in yet. The Doctor said we should get it today. He did say that the CT-Scan was not good. Matt has developed several 4mm spots in his lungs, a 6mm spot on his liver. The spot on his pelvic bone got a little larger and the spot in his abdomen got a little bigger. Dr. Holen thought that Oxaliplatin chemo had worked the best in the past for Matt. He felt that since these new finding the Erbitux is not working like it should. Matt is going to start on the 17th of this month Oxaliplatin again. The side effects of this drug is the cold. He can not drink gold drinks, touch cold bottles. If he does it will feel like his throat is swelling up and could possibly do that.

He will go in on the 17th and the first time it will take 4 hours to get the first drugs then he will take pills for 7 days. Then he will have a week off . He will do this until the next Ct-scan to see if this is working. He will do 7 days of chemo and 7 days off. Hopefully this chemo will help to shrink all those spots.

Please if we all can continue the prayers for Matt that the chemo will work and shrink all the spots!

Thank you to everyone for all their thoughts and prayers for Matt and Casey on their Wedding!

The Wedding!

The grand march! The wedding party dressed up in famous couples.

Matt giving his Thank you speech!

Lots of people on the dance floor.

Little couple driving their car during Grand March!

Matt and Casey sharing Wedding cake

Matt and Casey cutting wedding cake .

Wedding cake with the Groom Cake.

Matt and Casey

Matt and Casey with the Caleb and Elli

The wedding party

Maid of Honor, Ashley Best Man, Nate

Bridesmaid, Jenny, Christine and Kelly Groomsmen, Bret, Ryan and Eri

Flower Girl, Elli Ring Bearer, Caleb

Ushers, Alex and Nic

Matt & Casey had the most beautiful and wonderful wedding!! They had such a nice day. It was sunny and no wind. Everything went very smoothly! The wedding ceremony was absolutely gorgeous ! Matt and Casey looked like a prince and princess! Matt and Casey both had such a glow to them!

After the wedding the wedding party went to the Hepp's house for pictures! Christine and Jenny said the sun setting and the back yard setting is going to make the most beautiful pictures! From there the wedding party went to hall for dinner and dancing. Everyone had so much fun!

I would like to thank everyone for making this day so special for Matt and Casey! Thank you to everyone that made the church looked so nice, the hall was decorated very pretty, the Cake was gorgeous and tasted great and the groom's car cake was so cool!! Thank you to Luke Will for the great DJ's service he did for the night! He had the dance floor rocking all night long. Matt and Casey stayed the whole night. By the end of the night Matt was tired but he didn't let that stop him.

Matt starts with a new Insurance company today. Before they let Matt start with Chemo that want he to take a few tests. Dr. Holen wants him to have another CT-Scan first and Tumor maker test. He wants the insurance company to see that his number went down once to this chemo and is hoping this new test will also go down so he can send them to the insurance and they will see this and let Matt start chemo next week. So Matt went this morning to Watertown Hospital and had a C-Scan and labs done this morning. Tomorrow he has a doctor appointment with Doctor Holen to see what his next step is.

Please if you can keep Matt in your prayers so his number will keep going down and that the insurance company will let Matt continue to have his chemo treatments without having to do these other tests!

I truly believe that God can preform miracles! I am praying for a miracle for Matt!!

Love....always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preseveres! Believe in God!!